Shumai / Shaomai
烧卖 · siu mai · shao mai
Open-topped dumplings with many regional Chinese forms. Cantonese dim sum versions commonly feature pork and shrimp.
About this dish
Open-topped dumplings with many regional Chinese forms. Cantonese dim sum versions commonly feature pork and shrimp. The recipe here chooses one named variation from that wider tradition; household fillings, shapes and serving styles may differ.
Recipe
Cantonese pork and shrimp shumai
- 24 thin round egg wonton wrappers
- 300 g ground pork
- 180 g peeled raw shrimp, chopped
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and minced
- 2 scallions, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 24 peas for garnish
- 1 tsp oil for steamer
- 1
Mix 300 g ground pork and 180 g chopped shrimp with the listed filling ingredients. Squeeze excess water from soaked mushrooms. Stir pork with soy, wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, water and pepper until tacky. Fold in shrimp, mushrooms, scallions and ginger. Soak mushrooms until pliable, discard stems and squeeze dry. Pat shrimp dry. Stir pork in one direction until cohesive.
- 2
Cup a wrapper between thumb and forefinger. Press in about 1 tbsp filling, bringing the wrapper up the sides but leaving the top open. Flatten the bottom and top with a spoon; add a pea. Keep wrappers covered. Press filling down to form a stable base and level the open top.
- 3
Oil the steamer lining, space dumplings apart and steam over boiling water 12-15 minutes, until pork reaches 71°C/160°F and shrimp is cooked. Serve hot. Leave gaps between pieces and start timing at steady steam. Check a dumpling from the middle for tender skin and the meat temperature.
Note
Use thin skins and pack filling without air pockets. Shumai are open-topped, not sealed crescents.